Keno ticket printer

ABSTRACT

A system is disclosed for expediting and monitoring customer transactions in the game of keno including a plurality of transaction terminals or stations each including scanner means for sensing marked number spots of a customer marked keno ticket, a manually operable keyboard for receiving entries of the price of a transaction and the nature of the transaction and a duplicate receipt ticket providing means including printing means controlled by the scanner and the keyboard for rapidly providing a duplicate ticket with brush mark replicas in the same number spots as those of the customer marked ticket and for also imprinting additional information such as the nature and price of the transaction. Another aspect of the invention resides in the provision of a control and data processing system interconnecting the plurality of terminal stations to a central control for controlling and monitoring all of the transaction terminals and storing all transactions of all transaction terminals. An additional feature resides in the provision of a back printer for imprinting the back of a customer marked ticket with all information, such as the amount of the transaction and the nature of the transaction, imprinted on the receipt ticket.

United States Patent t191 Kagele et al. I

451 n, im

[54] KENO TICKET PRINTER [75] Inventors: Frank L. Kagele, Reno, Nev.; Lavern H. Meyers, Newport Beach, Calif.; Edward J. Trent, Reno, Nev.

[73] Assignee: Intercontinental Services, Inc., Sparks, Nev.

[22] Filed: Nov. 16, 1971 [2l] Appl. No.: 199,209

[52] U.S. CI. ..101/93 C, lOl/103, lOl/350 Hoffman lOl/93 C Primary Examiner-J. Reed Fisher Attorney-Thomas B. Van Poole et al.

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Pl iff [57] ABSTRACT A system is disclosed for expediting and monitoring customer transactions in the game of keno including a plurality of transaction terminals or stations each including scanner means for sensing marked number spots of a customer marked keno ticketa manually operable keyboard for receiving entries of the price of a transaction and the nature of the transaction and a duplicate receipt ticket providing means including printing means controlled by the scanner and the keyboard for rapidly providing a duplicate ticket with brush mark replicas in the same number spots as those of the customer marked ticket and for also imprinting additional information such as the nature and price of the transaction. Another aspect of the invention resides in the provision of a control and data processing system interconnecting the plurality of terminal stations to a central control for controlling and monitoring all of the transaction terminals and storing all transactions of all transaction terminals. An additional feature resides in the provision of a back printer for imprinting the back of a customer marked ticket with all information, such as the amount of the transaction and the nature of the transaction, imprinted on the receipt ticket.

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1. Printing apparatus for selectively imprinting one or more selected number spots on a blank keno ticket having a plurality of adjacent parallel columns of number spots with overlying spots to provide a substantial replica of a hand-marked ticket, said apparatus comprising a plurality of individual identical spot printing elements arranged in side-by-side rings on the surface of a spot print cylinder with adjacent spot printing elements of adjacent rings being aligned in rows parallel to the axis of said spot print cylinder, blank keno ticket supporting transport means for supporting a blank keno ticket in position adjacent said spot print cylinder with one column of number spots on said blank keno ticket being aligned with and facing a row of said spot printing elements in a printing enabling position for said column of number spots, positioning means for rotationally positioning said spot print cylinder in a printing enabling position in which said print Cylinder dwells for a discrete dwell time period in which a column of printing elements face a number of spots on a ticket in the printing enabling position, plural impression means extending in a line parallel to and facing the row of spot printing elements in said printing enabling position operable during the time said cylinder is in the printing enabling position for moving selected ones of spots in the column of spots aligned with and facing said printing elements into printing engagement with selected ones of said spot printing elements to imprint spots on said selected number spots, wherein said positioning means additionally includes selectively operable indexing means for rotating said spot print cylinder by an amount equal the angular spacing between adjacent spot printing elements of individual rings of spot printing elements on said cylinder to bring a next adjacent row of spot printing elements into said printing enabling position following the termination of said discrete dwell time period and an indexing feed drive connection to said supporting transport means for said blank keno ticket for indexing a keno ticket by an amount equal the spacing of adjacent parallel columns of number spots simultaneously with the indexing of said spot print cylinder so that a new column of blank number spots on a keno ticket is moved to printing enabling position simultaneously with the movement of a new row of printing elements to printing enabling position wherein said indexing means and indexing feed drive connection are operated sequentially so as to feed all number columns of an entire ticket to the printing enabling position automatically as part of a single printing cycle of operation and means for actuating the supporting transport means feeding the ticket away from the printing apparatus following dwell of the last number column on the ticket in the printing enabling position.
 2. The invention of claim 9 wherein said inking means includes an applicator roller, means supporting said applicator roller coaxially with and adjacent said spot print cylinder for reciprocating movement normal to its axis between a first position engaging a row of printing elements on said spot print cylinder for applying ink thereto and a second position engaging a transfer roll supplying ink to said applicator roll.
 3. The invention of claim 2 additionally including selectively operable power means for moving said applicator roll to said first position.
 4. The invention of claim 3 additionally including spring biassing means for normally positioning said applicator roller in said second ink receiving position.
 5. The invention of claim 4 wherein said transfer roll comprises a cylindrical member having a plurality of annular rings extending from its periphery for supplying ink to said applicator roller.
 6. The invention of claim 5 wherein said annular rings on said transfer roll engage an absorbent pad communicating with an ink reservoir which maintains the pad in an ink filled condition for supplying ink to said rings.
 7. The invention of claim 6 additionally including power means for constantly rotating said transfer roll.
 8. The invention of claim 7 additionally including motor means for rotating said applicator roller.
 9. The invention of claim 1 additionally including inking means for simultaneously applying ink to a row of spot printing elements on the side of said spot print cylinder opposite the row of printing elements in said printing enabling position while said spot print cylinder is dwelling in said printing enabling position.
 10. The invention of claim 1 wherein said impression means includes a spot print hammer assembly comprising a plurality of selectively actuable solenoid powered spot print hammers each aligned with one ring of printing elements, hammer support means supporting said print hammers for pivotal movement adjacent said spot print cylinder and having outer ends operable upon actuation to pivotally strike the rear side of a blank keno tickEt to move that portion of the ticket engaged by the hammer into contact with the printing element facing said portion of the ticket.
 11. The invention of claim 10 wherein said hammer support means comprises first and second spaced pivot shafts positioned adjacent the portion of the keno ticket engaged by the print hammers wherein adjacent print hammers are mounted on different ones of said first and second pivot shafts with the outer ends of the hammers supported by either pivotal shaft being interleaved with the outer ends of the hammers supported by the other shaft.
 12. The invention of claim 10 additionally including wire guide members extending between adjacent rings of printing elements on said print cylinder spaced from said print cylinder between the print cylinder and the keno ticket so as to hold those portions of the ticket not engaged by the print hammers away from contact with the printing cylinder during a printing operation and wherein said spot printing elements each comprise a replica of a manually applied brush mark.
 13. The invention of claim 12 wherein said hammer support means comprises first and second spaced pivot shafts positioned adjacent the portion of the keno ticket engaged by the print hammers wherein adjacent print hammers are mounted on different ones of said first and second pivot shafts with the outer ends of the hammers supported by either pivotal shaft being interleaved with the outer ends of the hammers supported by the other shaft. 